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do you always remove the pin when by yourself?

darthweasel said:
As someone else mentioned above, I am one of those people who do take the extra steps to place it on the fringe and don't do the 6' drop I see so many people do. And this may just be overreaction to the splintered flags I have seen on occasion, but the jarring contact of putts striking the stick, yeah, I think it contributes damage. Not as quickly as say, a pitch that rockets in at 100 mph and bounces off it, but slowly and over time it has an effect. I just like to minimize my unnecessary effects. I like to play nice courses, so anything I can think of to do to help that is part of it. Yeah, I am one of those guys who, if there is nobody behind me, takes a few extra moments to clean up all the tee pieces in the tee box and throw them in the handy tee receptacle at the edge of the box, I fill other people's tee box divots...I figure enough little things like that will slowly do my part to making golf better for everyone. The flag drop/leaving in or taking out issues are part of the same philosophy.

And I am well aware I am in the minority and outside this thread have mentioned my thoughts exactly zero times. Seemed like a nice opportunity though, thanks for letting me vent :)
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The flagstick doesn't get splintered from being hit by putted balls. That happens from the idiots who think it's cool to tend the pin by just grabbing it and bending it back because that's what they think they see the pro caddies doing on TV. They can't figure out that before the caddie leans the stick back, he has pulled it from the insert. The cheap fiberglass sticks are not made like a fishing rod. Their flexibility is limited. Bending them like that causes them to splinter right at the bottom where they join the metal plug.
 
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Splintering the flag sticks from putting? Wah?
 
not from one putt obviusly. Repetitive strikes, vibrations, same thing that brings about long-term damage in many natural landscape features (that is the Oregonian in me). Again, this might just be my reaction from having seen it happen, seeing guys putting with speed to slide 6' past the pin rocketing it off the flagstick. See it a lot out here. Guy I got randomly matched up with a couple rounds ago at King City would routinely take his first putt while I was pulling my putter and walking toward the green. On the bright side he had a real feel for the line and hit the cup about every time. On the dark side, he hit it hard enough that it would ricochet off the pin about 5' and he would shake his head in stunned amazement it did not go in. He is an outlier, I have maybe seen five people ever who putted it that hard consistently. One is my wife who plays like once every 2 years and a 3' putt might leave a 10' putt...I suspect most people who putt maniacally are in that category. This particularly guy claimed he shot a 42 for 9. I suspect there were a few shots not counted...

And yes, Of course, there is also a good possibility (read "probability to the point of almost certainty" that much, much more of the damage was done by the guys who think it is a javelin and hurl it. Those are the only ones I have actually said anything to, asking them to be a bit gentler.

It is really more just part of my overall approach to doing every little thing I can to leave the course better than I found it and minimize my presence.
 
darthweasel said:
As someone else mentioned above, I am one of those people who do take the extra steps to place it on the fringe and don't do the 6' drop I see so many people do. And this may just be overreaction to the splintered flags I have seen on occasion, but the jarring contact of putts striking the stick, yeah, I think it contributes damage. Not as quickly as say, a pitch that rockets in at 100 mph and bounces off it, but slowly and over time it has an effect. I just like to minimize my unnecessary effects. I like to play nice courses, so anything I can think of to do to help that is part of it. Yeah, I am one of those guys who, if there is nobody behind me, takes a few extra moments to clean up all the tee pieces in the tee box and throw them in the handy tee receptacle at the edge of the box, I fill other people's tee box divots...I figure enough little things like that will slowly do my part to making golf better for everyone. The flag drop/leaving in or taking out issues are part of the same philosophy.

And I am well aware I am in the minority and outside this thread have mentioned my thoughts exactly zero times. Seemed like a nice opportunity though, thanks for letting me vent :)
Click to expand...

darthweasel said:
not from one putt obviusly. Repetitive strikes, vibrations, same thing that brings about long-term damage in many natural landscape features (that is the Oregonian in me). Again, this might just be my reaction from having seen it happen, seeing guys putting with speed to slide 6' past the pin rocketing it off the flagstick. See it a lot out here. Guy I got randomly matched up with a couple rounds ago at King City would routinely take his first putt while I was pulling my putter and walking toward the green. On the bright side he had a real feel for the line and hit the cup about every time. On the dark side, he hit it hard enough that it would ricochet off the pin about 5' and he would shake his head in stunned amazement it did not go in. He is an outlier, I have maybe seen five people ever who putted it that hard consistently. One is my wife who plays like once every 2 years and a 3' putt might leave a 10' putt...I suspect most people who putt maniacally are in that category. This particularly guy claimed he shot a 42 for 9. I suspect there were a few shots not counted...

And yes, Of course, there is also a good possibility (read "probability to the point of almost certainty" that much, much more of the damage was done by the guys who think it is a javelin and hurl it. Those are the only ones I have actually said anything to, asking them to be a bit gentler.

It is really more just part of my overall approach to doing every little thing I can to leave the course better than I found it and minimize my presence.
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I certainly respect and also can appreciate the extra steps (small efforts) you take to help do your part in helping the cause for a well maintained course. More people like you would indeed be a good thing towards the cause :)

But (lol) it still imo kind of goes against your very own logic. You see, - your removing the pin in order to help the "good" cause you believe in.
The logic, mind, and heart is very much in the right place:)
However, I would make the point that since your reason for puling it is to help damage control, that your actually adding more potential for possible damage than the amount you feel you may be saving. Here's what I mean.

In your logic you are (by removing it) helping from possible nicks, splinters, etc and general ware and tare..
But respectfully, imo here is what your adding to your own equation.

#1- walking the greens to go get, remove, place down, go get again, replace, is all compounded in both directions. That's potential for green marks from even careful walking including any honest but unforeseen accidental miss steps and foot drags.
#2 - pulling the pin itself. Even carefully still holds a risk you may bend it while pulling it, and also as you put it back in
#3 - walking with the pin. further adds to a potential miss step and all associated with #1
#4 - pulling and replacing the pin (on both occasions x2) offers a potential of accidental cup edge damage
#5 - puling, handling, placing down, picking up, re-handling, reinstalling the pin is all in itself ware and tare

Soooo- All that stuff being risked so that one less ball(yours) doesn't hit the pin and risk any ware and tare.
Perhaps your well intended logic just might be backfiring on this one thing :)
And trust me I'm not doing this to pick on you at all. I really do respect your effort to care and to help the cause. Everyone should have that same concern things would be better. So this was just kind of a friendly fun little debate here. But you must admit you may have to rethink this one thing, no? :)
 
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rollin said:
I certainly respect and also can appreciate the extra steps (small efforts) you take to help do your part in helping the cause for a well maintained course. More people like you would indeed be a good thing towards the cause :)

But (lol) it still imo kind of goes against your very own logic. You see, - your removing the pin in order to help the "good" cause you believe in.
The logic, mind, and heart is very much in the right place:)
However, I would make the point that since your reason for puling it is to help damage control, that your actually adding more potential for possible damage than the amount you feel you may be saving. Here's what I mean.

In your logic you are (by removing it) helping from possible nicks, splinters, etc and general ware and tare..
But respectfully, imo here is what your adding to your own equation.

#1- walking the greens to go get, remove, place down, go get again, replace, is all compounded in both directions. That's potential for green marks from even careful walking including any honest but unforeseen accidental miss steps and foot drags.
#2 - pulling the pin itself. Even carefully still holds a risk you may bend it while pulling it, and also as you put it back in
#3 - walking with the pin. further adds to a potential miss step and all associated with #1
#4 - pulling and replacing the pin (on both occasions x2) offers a potential of accidental cup edge damage
#5 - puling, handling, placing down, picking up, re-handling, reinstalling the pin is all in itself ware and tare

Soooo- All that stuff being risked so that one less ball(yours) doesn't hit the pin and risk any ware and tare.
Perhaps your well intended logic just might be backfiring on this one thing :)
And trust me I'm not doing this to pick on you at all. I really do respect your effort to care and to help the cause. Everyone should have that same concern things would be better. So this was just kind of a friendly fun little debate here. But you must admit you may have to rethink this one thing, no? :)
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No matter how you look at it Rollin, a single isn't going to do as much tramping around on the green as a foursome does, so I think you are clutching at straws here.
 
rollin said:
I certainly respect and also can appreciate the extra steps (small efforts) you take to help do your part in helping the cause for a well maintained course. More people like you would indeed be a good thing towards the cause :)

But (lol) it still imo kind of goes against your very own logic. You see, - your removing the pin in order to help the "good" cause you believe in.
The logic, mind, and heart is very much in the right place:)
However, I would make the point that since your reason for puling it is to help damage control, that your actually adding more potential for possible damage than the amount you feel you may be saving. Here's what I mean.

In your logic you are (by removing it) helping from possible nicks, splinters, etc and general ware and tare..
But respectfully, imo here is what your adding to your own equation.

#1- walking the greens to go get, remove, place down, go get again, replace, is all compounded in both directions. That's potential for green marks from even careful walking including any honest but unforeseen accidental miss steps and foot drags.
#2 - pulling the pin itself. Even carefully still holds a risk you may bend it while pulling it, and also as you put it back in
#3 - walking with the pin. further adds to a potential miss step and all associated with #1
#4 - pulling and replacing the pin (on both occasions x2) offers a potential of accidental cup edge damage
#5 - puling, handling, placing down, picking up, re-handling, reinstalling the pin is all in itself ware and tare

Soooo- All that stuff being risked so that one less ball(yours) doesn't hit the pin and risk any ware and tare.
Perhaps your well intended logic just might be backfiring on this one thing :)
And trust me I'm not doing this to pick on you at all. I really do respect your effort to care and to help the cause. Everyone should have that same concern things would be better. So this was just kind of a friendly fun little debate here. But you must admit you may have to rethink this one thing, no? :)
Click to expand...


I will grant you the pulling/replacing pin. However, today I repaired in the neighborhood of 40 ball marks. Some of those ball marks looked suspiciously like the gromet holding the flag. I saw zero footprints on the greens, though I looked for them. Possibly because I have clown feet (size 12 by 9 years old, 13s shortly after that and it took me a few years to grow in to them. My friends did not forget and still tease me relentlessly even though they are now average size feet) so the weight displacement spreads more evenly...though I did not see anyone else's footprints either.

Only part of the reason is damage control to your point, it is just a nice, albeit admittedly minor, part of the reason. The real reason is I really do try to count every shot. To the point where I put a chip about 6" from the cup today on one hole. I actually did pull the flag with my left and single hand putt the ball in.I am that sad...

Good conversation and I think we can all agree I will almost assuredly continue pulling the pin and most people won't and I doubt either party will say anything on the green. We have better things to talk about...like the eagle putt we intend to take on the next hole :)
 
Always remove it unless I can't see the hole on the first putt.
 
Playing by myself, if I have to walk close to the pin, I will pull it. Otherwise, I just leave it in.
 
Smallville said:
If you're playing as a single, keeping pace shouldn't be a problem, should it?
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I have a bad habit of dawdling when I play on my own. I shoot for 10 minutes a hole, but sometimes I just loose track of time. It helps when there's a group ahead to keep up with, or a group behind to stay ahead of, or both. If I've got the course to myself, I seem to play slower than I usually do. Once I realize it, I'll challenge myself a bit and find ways to play quicker.
 
I only leave it in when I can't see the hole, or when I have a 25 yard putt and I already have the line to make the putt when walking up to my ball.
 
Fourputt said:
No matter how you look at it Rollin, a single isn't going to do as much tramping around on the green as a foursome does, so I think you are clutching at straws here.
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Oh I was really only feeding into sort of a friendly humorous debate with his logic. So yea, clutching at some straws was fitting for the conversation :)
 
TripleBogieTim said:
I play a lot in the late evening as a single and the pin stays in 99% of the time.....I play as a 2some with a buddy a few times a month and we always pull the pin.

When playing alone I am just too lazy to walk to the hole to take it out...LOL
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I do the same thing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Most of the time I take it out. If its a real long putt and I can't see the hole, I leave it in. If I have a very short putt after a chip, 3ft or less, I might leave it in during the tap in.
 
I rarely take it out for my first putt, and more often than not on the second putt. I don't give myself the penalty either because I'm not too worried about it.
 
Like many others in the thread, I take it out if I pass it or if I'm within legit one-putt range, but leave it for the first putt otherwise. Just for efficiency of time.
 
If I'm playing decent I pull it, but sometimes not. There's something in my head about putting with it in and thinking there's no chance the ball falls in there.
 
I never pull it when I'm playing alone.
 
Yes every time. My routine is to look at a putt from behind the cup then behind the ball.
 
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